Family Fun Itinerary
Whether you’re planning a full weekend getaway or just looking to fill a day with kid-approved fun, Athens makes it easy to mix outdoor adventure, tasty treats, hands-on activities, and family-friendly entertainment. From morning playground stops and afternoon museum visits to ice cream breaks and live music under the open sky, this sample itinerary helps take the stress out of planning so you can spend more time making memories together.
Outdoor Activities
The State Botanical Gardens of Georgia
Cost: Free
Hours: The gardens overall are open from 7am-7pm daily. The Visitor Center and Gift Shop are open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Mondays)
Ages: With a variety of gardens including the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden and over 5 miles of hiking trails available, it's fun for all ages.
Duration: Flexible. You could explore for hours or take a quick tour of the children's garden and be done in 30 min.
Accessibility: All of the facilities and most display and theme gardens are accessible by wheelchair or motorized scooter and can accommodate strollers. Exceptions include the Flower Garden, which includes changes in elevation, and the Native Flora Garden, which has natural mulch pathways. An elevator is available at the main entrance to the garden, accessed from the upper parking lots.
What makes it special: Check out the chestnut tree house, fossil wall, giant water-misting mushrooms, vegetable garden, a replica of a North Georgia cave, and more, and that's just the children's garden.
Sandy Creek Nature Center
Cost: Free
Hours: Visitor & Education Center Sunday-Monday: CLOSED, Tuesday-Saturday: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm. Trails & Playscape open daily sunrise to sunset.
Ages: Nature and animal exhibits, a nature Playscape, and 225 acres of woodlands and wetlands with over 4 miles of trails offer something for the young and old!
Duration: Flexible. You could explore for hours, walk through the exhibits (1 hour or so), or take a quick play break at the playscape and be done in 30 min.
Accessibility: The nature center is ADA accessible and has an ADA interpretive trail.
What makes it special: Make friends with a fish or slide down a tree trunk! The animal exhibits are fun and engaging, and the trails vary in difficulty to fit all abilities. Check out their events for special programming and more nature fun!
Memorial Park and Bear Hollow Zoo
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-5pm daily
Ages: There is a playground for kids of varying ages. The nature trail would also appeal to a large age range.
Duration: 30min - 1hr
Accessibility: ADA accessible with smooth, gently sloping trails, wheelchair accessible animal viewing areas, accessible restrooms and parking.
What makes it special: The shady trails make it the perfect outdoor stop on a warm summer day, and with roughly 50 non-releasable animals of native species, a reptile house, and an expansive playground there's plenty of kid-approved activities.
Other Parks and Green Spaces
Athens-Clarke County has so many different parks and recreation venues, with plenty to see and do. The Leisure Services department has created an interactive Park Locator map to show not just location, but which features and amenities are available.
Best for Toddlers
Check out our Pup Pass below for the best things to do with littles while you're in town.
Don't miss:
- Georgia Museum of Art- Grab a kids' pack at the front desk!
- Lyndon House Arts Center - Don't forget to check out their kids' programing on our calendar.
- Children's Garden at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia- a sensory delight that mixes play and learning.